Sir Alex Ferguson: Louis van Gaal is right to 'clear the decks and build his own team' at Manchester United

The way hes approached it I think has been brilliant.

Ferguson, who is due to speak to 1,700 business leaders in Dublin on Thursday, retired in May 2013 after almost 27 years as manager at Old Trafford.

The Scot has repeatedly insisted he has no regrets about his decision to step down, with the 72-year-old pursuing off-field interests as well as fulfilling a role as a United director.

But he admits that, during a holiday to the Middle East last December, he momentarily missed the pressures of managing the club.

It was the first time Ive ever had a holiday in my life in December, Ferguson said. And Im sitting there at pool side in Abu Dhabi and I said to Cathy, I should be at Carrington! Meanwhile, the Colombian forward Radamel Falcao has reiterated his desire to remain at United for 'the coming years after scoring his first goal for the club against Everton on Sunday.

Falcao is currently on loan at Old Trafford from AS Monaco after completing a surprise move to United on the final day of the transfer window last month.

As part of the loan deal, United have already negotiated a fee to sign Falcao permanently at the end of his temporary move.

And the 28-year-old, who missed the World Cup due to a cruciate ligament injury sustained in January, admits he is determined to make a success of his loan move to ensure it becomes permanent.

Manchester United were the ones that gambled on me when it was very difficult to do so, Falcao said. It has been a very difficult year, not just in my professional career.

What happened at the start of the year (injury) affected me in every way, but it has also helped me grow as a human being, to think about many things, to mature.

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Sir Alex Ferguson: Louis van Gaal is right to 'clear the decks and build his own team' at Manchester United